American football with thin cover

ABSTRACT

A football is provided with a thinner cover than conventional footballs. The thickness of the cover is less than 1.25 mm. The cover is formed from four cover panels. Each cover panel is stitched to a liner panel to form four panel assemblies. The liner panels are stronger and more resistant to bending than conventional liner panels. The panel assemblies are stitched together to form the seams of the football. An inflatable bladder is inserted inside of the attached panel assemblies. The liner panels withstand most of the forces on the football which are created by the internal bladder pressure and by impacts. The relatively thin cover panels are not required to support significant loads.

BACKGROUND

[0001] This invention relates to American footballs, and, moreparticularly, to a football which includes a thinner, and therefore lessexpensive, cover.

[0002] Conventional American footballs include an inflatable bladder anda cover assembly which surrounds the bladder. The cover assemblymaintains the shape of the football. The cover assembly is thereforerequired to support the internal load or expansive force which isimposed on the cover assembly by the pressurized bladder and externalforces which are imparted by kicks and by impacts with the ground andother objects.

[0003] Conventional cover assemblies for footballs are formed from fourpanel assemblies which have a generally elliptical shape. Each panelassembly includes a cover panel and a liner panel which are stitchedtogether. The cover panels are usually formed from leather, althoughsynthetic leather and other materials can also be used. The liner panelsmay be formed from cloth and possibly also a binding material such asrubber, vinyl, or a polycarbonate.

[0004] The leather cover panels are intended to support almost all ofthe forces on the football. Accordingly, leather cover panels areusually relatively thick, for example, at least about 1.6 mm.

[0005] The liner panels are not primary load-bearing members. Theprincipal purpose of the liner is to provide a protective layer betweenthe bladder and the cover panels. Accordingly, liner panels are usuallyrelatively thin, have relatively low tensile strength, and can be easilybent.

[0006] The cover assembly is formed by stitching the edges of the fourpanel assemblies with the liner side facing outward. A portion of theadjoining edges of two of the panel assemblies are left unstitched toprovide a bladder opening. The cover assembly is then turned inside outthrough the bladder opening so that the liner side is on the inside andthe cover side is on the outside. The stitched edges are inside of thecover assembly, and the in-turned edges form four smooth exterior seams.The bladder is inserted into the cover assembly through the bladderopening, and the bladder opening is laced closed. The bladder is theninflated.

[0007] The combined strength of the cover panels and the liner panelscontrol the shape and durability of the football. However, the coverpanels provide most of the strength for controlling shape anddurability.

[0008] The cover panels are the most expensive components of footballs.The cost of the cover panels is directly proportional to the thicknessand quality of the material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The invention provides a thicker, stiffer liner which providesmost of the strength for controlling the shape and durability of thefootball. Since the cover is not required to withstand any significantloads, the cover can be made relatively thin, for example, less than1.25 mm. and preferably 0.80 mm or less. The use of a thinner coverreduces the cost of the football significantly without sacrificing shapeor durability.

[0010] The thicker, stiffer liner is more resistant to bending thanconventional liners. The new liner therefore provides the football witha cross sectional shape which is more rectangular and less round becausethe panels are flatter between the seams. The more rectangular shapeprovides a better grip, and the flatter panels makes the ball easier tokick.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0011] The invention will be explained in conjunction with anillustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing, in which

[0012]FIG. 1 illustrates a football with the inventive cover assembly;

[0013]FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along theline 2-2 of FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 3 is a plan view of one of the cover panels;

[0015]FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along theline 4-4 of FIG. 3;

[0016]FIG. 5 is a plan view of one of the liner panels;

[0017]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-6 ofFIG. 5;

[0018]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 of a modified liner panel;

[0019]FIG. 8 illustrates a liner panel stitched to a cover panel to forma cover panel assembly;

[0020]FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 9-9 ofFIG. 8;

[0021]FIG. 10 illustrates a pair of cover panel assemblies stitchedtogether along overlying edges on one of the sides thereof;

[0022]FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along theline 11-11 of FIG. 10; and

[0023]FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of the cover assembly ofFIG. 2 before the bladder is inserted.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, an American football 15 includes four coverpanels 16 which are joined along seams 17. The panels are not securedalong a portion of one of the seams to provide a bladder opening whichis closed by a lacing 18. The football 15 has the general shape of anoblate spheroid and includes a pair of ends or noses 19 and alongitudinal centerline or axis A.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 2, a cover assembly 22 is formed by four coverpanel assemblies 23. Each cover panel assembly 23 includes a cover panel16 and a liner panel 24. The edges 25 of the cover panels 16 and linerpanels 24 are turned inwardly, and the edges 25 of adjacent cover panelassemblies 23 are stitched together by stitching 26.

[0026] A conventional inflatable bladder 28 is enclosed by the coverassembly 22. The bladder 28 is inflated through a valve 29 (see FIG. 1)which extends through the cover assembly 22.

[0027] One of the cover panels 16 is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. Eachcover panel 16 is generally elliptical and includes an outer surface 31and an inner surface 32. The outer surface 31 includes conventionalpebbles 33.

[0028] The cover panels 16 used in top quality footballs are made fromleather. However, cover panels 16 can also be made from syntheticleather or other materials. Suitable synthetic leather materials aredescribed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 60-17871, 62-44074,63-5518, and 64-20866 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,310,178 and 6,024,661.

[0029] As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the cover panels 16are not required to support any significant portion of the forces whichare imposed on the football 15, either by the pressurized bladder 28 orby kicks or other impacts. The cover panels 16 can therefore besubstantially thinner than conventional cover panels and can havesubstantially less strength as measured by tensile strength or any otherphysical measurement.

[0030] Cover panels 16 made from leather preferably have a thickness ofless than 1.25 mm, more preferably less than 1.00 mm, and even morepreferably 0.80 mm or less. Covers made from synthetic leather and othermaterials can have the same thickness.

[0031] One of the liner panels 24 is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Eachliner panel 24 is generally elliptical and includes an inner layer 36and an outer layer 37. The inner layer 36 is preferably formed fromwoven fabric, for example, polyester cotton fabric. Other materials canalso be used, such as, for example, non-woven fabric. The outer layer 37is preferably formed from natural or synthetic rubber. However, theouter layer can be formed from other polymeric material, for example,polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride. The material of the outer layer 37can also be a foam material. The outer layer 37 is preferably bonded toor molded with the fabric inner layer 36 so that the polymeric materialdiffuses into the mesh of the fabric and mechanically bonds orintegrates with the fabric.

[0032]FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of a liner panel 39. Thepanel includes inner and outer layers 40 and 41 of woven fabric and anintermediate layer 42 of rubber or other polymeric material which isbonded to the fabric layers.

[0033]FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate one of the cover panel assemblies 23. Thecover panel 16 and a liner panel 24 are stitched together around theirperipheries by a stitching 44. The rubber layer 37 faces the cover panel16, and the fabric layer 36 forms the inside layer of the cover panelassembly. If desired, however, the liner panel 24 can be reversed sothat the rubber layer forms the inside layer of the cover panelassembly.

[0034] The cover assembly 22 is formed by stitching together cover panelassemblies 23. FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a pair of cover panelassemblies 23 a and 23 b stitched together by a stitching 26 along oneside edge 46 of each of the cover panel assemblies 23. The other sideedges 47 of the cover panel assemblies 23 a and 23 b are not secured toeach other. As is well known in the art, the cover panel assemblies 23are secured in an inside out position in which the cover panels 16 ofthe cover panel assemblies face each other.

[0035] The other two cover panel assemblies 23 are secured to the coverpanel assemblies 23 a and 23 b in the same manner to form an inside outcover assembly which includes an opening for the bladder 28. The insideout cover assembly is then turned inside out through the bladder openingto form the cover assembly 22 which is illustrated in FIG. 12.

[0036] The liner panels 24 have significant stiffness and resistance tobending because of the combination of the fabric and rubber layers. As aresult, the cover panel assemblies 23 are relatively flat between theseams 17, and the cover assembly 22 has a substantially rectangulartransverse cross section as illustrated in FIG. 12. In FIG. 12, thecover panel assemblies 23 extend in substantially straight lines betweenthe seams 19.

[0037] Representative prior art liner panels had a tensile strength ofabout 4000 psi and a drape angle of about 40 to 60 degrees. Drape anglemeasures the stiffness of a liner panel by extending half of the longlength of a liner panel over an edge and measuring the angle that itdrapes down.

[0038] In contrast, the liner panels 24 of the invention have a tensilestrength of at least 5500 psi, and preferably at least 7500 psi, and adrape angle of less than 30 degrees, and preferably less than 20degrees. Additionally, the liner panels preferably have a thickness ofat least 0.70 mm.

[0039] After the bladder 28 is inserted into the cover assembly 22 andinflated, the cover panel assemblies 23 will be forced outwardlysomewhat as illustrated in FIG. 2. However, each of the cover panelassemblies 23 will still be closer to a flat or straight lineconfiguration than to an arcuate configuration which is defined by acircle which circumscribes the seams. The flatter shape of the coverpanel assemblies provides a more rectangular cross sectional shape whichis easier to grip. The flatter cover panel assemblies 23 are also easierto kick.

[0040] When the cover panel assemblies 23 are stitched together, theliner panels 24 are secured together and form a liner assembly 22, whichholds the shape of the football 15. The inventive liner assembly 22 issignificantly stronger and stiffer than prior art liner assemblies, andthe inventive liner assembly 22 provides all or substantially all of thestrength which is required to maintain the shape of the football and towithstand forces which are caused by kicks and other impacts. The coverpanels 23 are not required to withstand any significant forces and cantherefore be much thinner and weaker than prior art cover panels.

[0041] The liners of prior art footballs had a tendency to creep whenthe footballs were stored because of the expansive forces which arecaused by the inflated bladder. The cover panels therefore had to bestrong enough to hold the shape of the football. The inventive linerassembly 22 does not creep and maintains the shape of the football 15during storage.

[0042] While in the foregoing specification a detailed description of aspecific embodiment of the invention was set forth for the purpose ofillustration, it will be understood that many of the details hereingivenmay be varied considerably by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:
 1. A football comprising: an inflatable bladder, a linersurrounding the bladder, the liner having a tensile strength of at least5500 psi, and a cover attached to the liner, the cover having athickness of less than 1.25 mm.
 2. The football of claim 1 in which theliner has a drape angle of less than 30 degrees.
 3. The football ofclaim 1 in which the cover is leather.
 4. The football of claim 1 inwhich the liner includes a fabric layer and a polymeric layer which isbonded to the fabric layer.
 5. The football of claim 4 in which thepolymeric layer is rubber.
 6. The football of claim 1 in which the coverhas a tensile strength of at least 4000 psi.
 7. The football of claim 1in which the cover has a thickness of 0.80 mm or less.
 8. The footballof claim 1 in which the thickness of the liner is at least 0.70 mm. 9.The football of claim 1 in which the football includes a pair of endsand a longitudinal centerline which extends between the ends and theliner includes four liner panels and the cover includes four coverpanels, the liner panels and the cover panels being stitched togetheralong four seams which extend between the ends, transverse crosssections of the football through the seams and the longitudinalcenterline having a configuration between each pair of adjacent seamswhich lies closer to a straight line between the adjacent seams than toan arc of a circle between the seams.
 10. A football comprising: aninflatable bladder, a liner surrounding the bladder, the liner having adrape angle of less than 30 degrees, and a cover attached to the liner,the cover having a thickness of less than 1.25 mm.
 11. The football ofclaim 10 in which the liner includes a fabric layer and a polymericlayer which is bonded to the fabric layer.
 12. The football of claim 11in which the polymeric layer is rubber.
 13. The football of claim 10 inwhich the cover has a tensile strength of at least 4000 psi.
 14. Thefootball of claim 10 in which the cover has a thickness of 0.80 mm orless.
 15. The football of claim 10 in which the thickness of the lineris at least 0.70 mm.
 16. The football of claim 10 in which the footballincludes a pair of ends and a longitudinal centerline which extendsbetween the ends and the liner includes four liner panels and the coverincludes four cover panels, the liner panels and the cover panels beingstitched together along four seams which extend between the ends,transverse cross sections of the football through the seams and thelongitudinal centerline having a configuration between each pair ofadjacent seams which lies closer to a straight line between the adjacentseams than to an arc of a circle between the seams.
 17. The football ofclaim 10 wherein the cover is made of a material selected from the groupconsisting of a natural leather and a synthetic leather.